A look at UI's high-profile flood recovery projects

Apr. 12, 2013

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Written by

Josh O’Leary

Iowa City Press-Citizen

Guided tour of University of Iowa flood recovery p...: Watch and listen to a guided tour of University of Iowa flood recovery projects, starting at Mayflower Residence Hall, moving through the westside arts campus and ending in downtown Iowa City.

Art Building West is seen on Thursday, April 4, 2013. David Scrivner / Iowa City Press-Citizen / David Scrivner / Iowa City Press-Citizen

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In the aftermath of the 2008 flood, damaged University of Iowa buildings such as the Main Library and English-Philosophy Building were able to reopen within a matter of weeks. Others with more severe damage, such as Hancher Auditorium and the original Art Building, have sat empty and in limbo for the past five years as funding decisions have crawled forward.

Here’s a look at UI’s high-profile, flood recovery projects — from a devastated arts campus that remains three years away from fully bouncing back, to facilities such as the Iowa Memorial Union and Mayflower Residence Hall that reopened several years ago, but still need additional work.

Hancher Auditorium

The largest of UI’s flood recovery projects calls for the demolition of the former Hancher-Voxman-Clapp complex, built in 1972, and the construction of a new auditorium up the hill and out of the flood plain near Park Road, alongside the Levitt Center. With FEMA funding finalized last fall, the three-year construction process has begun. Renowned international architect Pelli Clark Pelli has designed a five-level contemporary building that will include an 1,800-seat auditorium — about 700 seats fewer than old Hancher. The auditorium will feature two shallow balconies versus old Hancher’s single deep balcony, creating a more intimate setting, UI leaders say. Unlike old Hancher, which faced Park Road, new Hancher will take advantage of its sweeping views of the river and campus to the south. The site of the former building is expected to be converted to green space.

When: Site work is under way, and March 2016 is targeted for completion.

Cost: $176 million.

Art Museum

The former building, built along the river in 1969 and containing more than 12,000 pieces valued at nearly $500 million in June 2008, was home to one of the largest modern university art museums in the U.S. UI was able to evacuate the artwork before the floodwater arrived, and in the years since has housed the collection at the Iowa Memorial Union and at the Figge Museum in Davenport. UI and FEMA have been at odds for years over the building. FEMA did not designate the Art Museum’s damage to be greater than 50 percent of its value, meaning it will not pay to build a new facility, but UI says it would be unable to secure insurance for the art collection if it moved back to the old building. UI’s two appeals were denied by FEMA, and the university is working with Iowa Homeland Security on a final effort to secure federal funding. UI leaders have pledged to rebuild the museum even without federal assistance. In the meantime, UI has been housing band and orchestra rehearsals in the facility’s north portion as an interim solution for the School of Music.

When: Future remains in limbo.

Cost: The museum sustained about $4 million in damage, primarily to its mechanical and electrical systems.

Art Building West

This internationally celebrated building, designed by New York architect Steven Holl, was built just two years before the flood. When it reopened last year, it was the first major recovery project completed on campus. It now is protected from future floods by what is called an invisible wall — a below-ground foundation surrounds the entire building, upon which a 900-foot temporary wall up to 12 feet high can be constructed within a matter of days in the event of future flooding. Although just seven years old, FEMA has deemed the building historic because of its architectural significance — a designation typically only given to buildings several decades old.

When: Reopened for classes in January 2012.

Cost: $14 million in repairs.

Art Building

UI will raze most, but not all, of the original art school complex along the Iowa River and rebuild uphill at 109 River St., just north of Art Building West, with a green space separating the two. Students will continue to work at the temporary Studio Arts building (former Menards building on Highway 1) for at least three more years before the new building — a four-story, 126,597-square-foot structure also designed by Steven Holl — is complete. While the original building met the threshold of 50 percent damage necessary for FEMA to cover the costs of building a new facility, because of its historical significance, FEMA directed UI to maintain the original portion built in 1936, where Grant Wood’s studio was housed. The east wing, three south buildings and below-ground classroom additions, however, will be demolished.

When: Site work will begin this summer, and April 2016 is targeted for construction completion.

Cost: $77 million.

School of Music

While Hancher will remain on the north end of campus, the School of Music and its recital spaces will relocate to downtown Iowa City at the southwest corner of Clinton and Burlington streets. Construction bids are being solicited this spring, and demolition of the two former bank buildings is slated to begin later this spring. In their place will be a five-story building, designed by LMN Architects of Seattle, with a largely glass exterior and a 700-seat concert hall and 200-seat recital hall on the second floor. School of Music classes and activities have been scattered around the city since 2008, including in rented downtown commercial spaces and a converted church.

When: Work will get under way this summer, and May 2016 is targeted for completion.

Cost: $152 million.

Mayflower Residence Hall

Mayflower Residence Hall
UI’s largest residence hall, housing more than 1,000 students, was the first university facility to flood in 2008. Dubuque Street was closed for 30 days and the hall’s first level sustained damage from 2 1/2 feet of water, but Mayflower reopened in time for the fall semester that year. UI intends to build a permanent flood wall around the building, along with subsurface wells to keep water pressure in check. The wall will create a plaza outside the building’s front door. UI intends to maximize work during the summer months over the next two years to avoid construction disruptions for students. At the same time, the city of Iowa City is ramping up for its own post-flood project to raise Dubuque Street and elevate and rebuild the nearby Park Road Bridge in the coming years.

When: Work will begin this summer, and November 2014 is targeted for completion.

Cost: $13.3 million.

Theatre Building

Theatre Building
The 77-year-old building reopened in January 2009, but the lower level, which was fully inundated with flood water, remains closed. Plans call for the relocation of the mechanical and electrical systems, currently in the basement, to the roof in a new enclosure. The changes will lessen damage from future floods, and allow the building to continue operating when the water recedes. The lower level will be “hardened,” meaning finishes will be modified so that future floods would result in a cleanup rather than repair, and equipment can be moved out easily. The department’s costume shop and storage has been relocated to the temporary Studio Arts facility on Highway 1.

When: Construction is expected to begin in July and be complete by November 2014.